Abstract: A device that can be attached to the plunger of a sucker rod pump to extend the operational life of the pump when it is used for producing oil having a high sand content wipes sand from the wall of the barrel in which the plunger reciprocates and re-routes the sand into the stream of oil that flows through the plunger on its downstroke. At the same time, the device applies a torque to the plunger causing it to rotate on the downstroke, thereby distributing wear more uniformly around the cylindrical outer surface of the plunger and the inside surface of the barrel. The device permits commercially available plungers to be used without modification for producing sand-laden oil.

Abstract: A downhole sucker rod pump especially well adapted for use in pumping thick oils and oils containing particles of sand or rock includes helical grooves or apertures for producing an intermittent unidirectional rotation of the plunger without appreciably restricting the flow of oil through the pump. This rotation distributes wear more uniformly around the plunger. In a first embodiment, helical apertures are provided in the cage portion at the upper end of the plunger. Because of their large axial extent, these apertures collectively provide an outlet of large area for the oil, and thus restrict the flow only slightly. Because of their inclination these apertures produce a torque on the cage and plunger. In a second embodiment, a second plunger is attached to the upper end of the cage. The second plunger includes helical grooves in its cylindrical outer surface.